A Marauder's Halloween
by RaeyvnRain
Summary: On Halloween, Hogwart's, and more specifically, Hermione, recieves a few ghostly visitors. Not really HGSB, but they are the two main characters.


**A Marauder's Halloween**

_On Halloween, Hogwart's receives a few ghostly visitors. _

_**A / N**_

_Yes, yes, I realize I'm a day late, oh well. Set in Six year, obviously. Not the best, but it was a spur of the moment deal._

_**A Maraduer's Halloween**_

**H**ermione Granger had never believed in ghosts as a child. Her practical mind had never allowed it. Until she was eleven years old, she'd been very happily content in believing that things of a phenomenal nature never existed.

Of course, receiving her Hogwart's letter had irrevocably changed all that. That is why, on this Halloween, October 31, 1996, she wasn't overly surprised to see the three hovering ghostly figures in the Gryffindor Common Room.

It was just _who_ the ghostly figures were that shocked her.\

"B-but, h-how, S-S-Sirius? Is that _really_ you?" she stuttered as she entered the common room just after the evening feast.

The ghostly figure of Sirius Black, grinned in a very marauderish way. "Course it is, 'Mione."

"How? I thought..." Hadn't she read somewhere that people only linger as ghosts if they had unfinished business? So then, how were they here?  
"Hermione, is it?" The ghostly figure of James Potter asked. Hermione nodded, numbly.

"Ah, well. You see, this is a bit of a bonus offered to those of us who died. Lily and I never really took the opportunity before, but Padfoot here begged us." James too wore a devilish grin.

"Why?" she blurted.

"Come now, 'Mione, one would think you didn't want to see me." Sirius teased.

"Sirius, can you blame the poor girl? Play nice, or we'll leave." Lily Potter scolded.

"Yes, mum." Sirius muttered.

"What are you all doing here?" Hermione asked, again.

"That's easy. Figured we could check in on you lot, and maybe torture the Snivellus a bit." Sirius grinned.

"We most certainly will not be 'torturing' Severus." Lily snapped.

"Lils, your no fun." James said, despairingly.

"So, Hermione. How is everyone these days?" Sirius asked, ignoring the now bickering couple. He grinned reminiscently. "Just like the old days." he said fondly.

"Everyone misses you Sirius. Harry's been a wreck. We've all been...well, sad." she said, in a rush.

"Don't be sad. I well, didn't have exactly a good life, but I died the way I always pictured myself going out. Fighting the good fight."

"But...but you just left! All of us. Harry even asked Nick if you'd come back as a ghost. I don't think he'd do very well seeing you. Any of you." she added, as Lily and James stopped arguing and paid attention to her.

"Why ever not?" James demanded.

"Because! He's not doing too well right now. He's really on edge. It's all been too much. If he saw you, Sirius, he'd always be looking for you to make another visit, it would distract him from Vol-Voldemort." Hermione lectured.

"Fine, fine. We won't deliberately go and see him. But we do have big things planned, and if he happens to see us...well, it won't be our fault." Sirius said, cheerfully, as the three moved through the portrait leaving the Gryffindor's Common Room.

Hermione groaned. This could not be good, not at all.

**T**he next morning, Hermione awoke early, to find a piece of parchment, with unfamiliar handwriting on it.

_Dear Hermione, _

_Take care of Harry for us, we regret more than anything, not being able to be there with him through this. Send our love, and please, for the love of marauder's everywhere, torture Snivellus just a bit._

_Ignore those gits, just take care of my baby._

_With love, _

_Lily, James and Sirius_

_p.s. I miss you all, you more than you'll ever know._

Hermione smiled, to herself, wondering who they'd scared into writing this letter for them. She reread the extra line from Sirius. A silent tear trickled down her cheek. She missed him too.

With an extra bounce in her step, she entered the Great Hall. She stopped cold, seeing first Snape, then the wall behind the Gryffindor's. Snape sported a pink head of hair, which appearantly could not be charmed off, while his robes were a bright splash of different cheerful colors. Pink, orange, neon green and yellow. He scowled at anyone who dared look at him for more than a second, while he sat, arms crossed, muttering under his breath. She vaguely heard the words "Fools." "Ghosts" "Marauder's" and "Payback"

On the wall, the Marauder's left a cheerful message.

_A Happy Halloween from Messrs Padfoot and Prongs, and the Lovely Lady Lily _

Hermione smiled. Harry stared at the wall, bewildered, a small smile playing about his lips, as did Ron, who of course, sat with a mouth full of food.

A loud pop sounded from the other end of the room. Hermione turned to look. The Slytherins were all now looking just like their Head of House. Hermione laughed, wondering what other surprises they'd find from Messrs. Padfoot and Prongs that day.

Hermione smiled, as Harry looked at her questioningly.

Someday, she'd tell him.


End file.
